FP-MAC: A distributed MAC algorithm for 802.15.4-like wireless sensor networks

In this paper we focus on the problems of high latency and low throughput arising from the periodic operation of MAC protocols for wireless sensor networks. In order to meet both design criteria we propose an energy-efficient, low delay, fast-periodic MAC algorithm, namely FP-MAC, that is exclusively designed for 802.15.4-like networks utilizing in full the standard’s physical layer. Our proposal relies on the short periodic communication operation of the nodes comprising the WSN. This is achieved by decreasing the actions that a node needs to perform at the start of every communication period and by incorporating a variable radio-on operation. Moreover, the algorithm introduces differences in nodes’ scheduling to further reduce delay. Local synchronization and the crucial task of determining the proper timing for transmission and reception of data is achieved through the periodic broadcast of special synchronization frames at the beginning of each on-period. FP-MAC is evaluated and compared to S-MAC and T-MAC through extensive simulations, showing a significant improvement in terms of low energy consumption and average MAC delay.